RWBY 8 3 - Up Close and Personal
by Darkpenn
Summary: A mystery, a tale of a tail, and the loss of a friend


**Up Close and Personal**

 _A mystery, a tale of a tail, and the loss of a friend_

 _[Author's Note: This story follows the story_ Grim Tidings _, and is the third episode of Volume 8.]_

The owner of the bookshop was a goat faunus but aside from the horns he looked remarkably like a shopkeeper at Vale. Even though the store was busy he was delighted to see them.

"Miss Belladonna!" he said to Blake. "Formerly my best, and sometimes only, customer! Have you come for a book? One of the special books? One of the ones I keep under the counter, perhaps?" He took several out.

"Uh, er, I … I … I don't know what you mean," stammered Blake.

"Sure you do, ninja cat faunus girl," said Yang.

"Yang!" whispered Blake. "My … _mother_ … is here."

"Which only makes it more fun," said Yang.

Kali gave a little snicker. "I like you, Yang," she said. "Someday I will have to tell you all the stories about Blake when she was little. Like the time she got her tail caught – "

"Mother!" said Blake.

"I look forward to hearing every one," said Yang.

"Yang!" said Blake. "Don't encourage her!"

"Funny stories about Blake aside – and we all have them – we are here on an important mission," said Ruby. "Aren't we, Weiss?"

Weiss was looking through a book about shoes. "Uh, what?" she said. "Or, right, yeah, a mission. But I'm going to buy this."

Yang was looking through the under-the-counter books. "Now that's a katana," she said. "I'll take this one. And that one. That one too."

"Stop the silliness and focus!" cried Ruby.

"Now there's something I never thought I would hear Ruby say," said Blake.

"Mister Bookshop-guy, what do you know about a place called Sodor?" said Ruby. "At least, I think it's a place."

"Hmm, Sodor, Sodor, yes, that rings a bell," he said. He went to another part of the store and took a book from a shelf and returned. It was a book of maps and drawings. "Ah, here you go. This says that Sodor is an island that lies between the northern coast of Sanus and the continent that no-one has got around to naming yet," he said. "Specifically, an extinct volcano. Maybe extinct. Well, who knows."

"Great!" said Ruby.

"Uh, not that great," said the shopkeeper. He showed them the title of the book. _Mythical Places and Other Things That Probably Don't Exist._

"Oh," said Ruby. "Oh well, at least it's a start. I'll take it. Hey, wait … a … second. Blake has a tail!?"

"Ah," said Weiss. "Hence her aversion to skirts."

"It's a very nice tail," said Yang. "And, how can I put this, somewhat sensitive. Erotically speaking."

Blake went bright pink. She glanced at her mother.

"They all are," said Kali, with a shrug.

Weiss took out her pocketwatch. "If it's alright with you guys," she said, "I would like to make a start for Mistral. An … appointment. It's … special."

"Give Jaune a kiss for us," said Yang.

RWBY

"Where are you taking me?" said Jaune.

"Just a little further," said Weiss.

They were walking through the forest park in the hills near Haven Academy, following one of the paths. They turned a corner … and there was a picnic laid out on the ground, with a red check blanket and everything.

"Surprise!" said Weiss. "I thought I would do something special. Since it is an anniversary of sorts. The tenth time we have been together, starting from the first time at Haven. I should say that the food comes from The Cake Butler, since my kitchen skills are, well, non-existent." They sat down and Weiss began to put food onto plates.

"Really?" said Jaune. "Ten? Really? That many?"

She stared at him. "You know, don't you?" she said.

"Well, uh, er, yes," he said. "In fact, I have something for you." He handed her a little package. Smiling, she opened it.

It was a golden locket, small but beautiful. She read the message engraved inside.

"I have received many expensive presents in my life," she said softly. "But nothing as valuable as this." She put it on.

They exchanged a long, lingering kiss. Then, with a little laugh, they began to eat.

"Have there been many volunteers for Vacuo?" said Weiss.

"Yes, a lot. Team VALIANT – it has Ciel Soleil in it now. Team CARDIN. Several others. Team Coffee volunteered but I told them they should stay at Beacon, just in case. Especially with Salem … well, you know.

"Did you find out anything useful on Menagerie?"

"Maybe," said Weiss. "Ruby is being very cagey about things. But at least we have a clue on how to find Salem."

They finished the picnic meal, including the cake supplied by Klein. After that, they lay back and stared at the sky.

There was a bird circling overhead. A bird the size of a small hawk.

No.

Not a bird.

They realised at the same moment, and looked at each other. "We should get out of here," they said together.

Too late. A dark portal was beginning to form. Weiss and Jaune drew their weapons.

Salem stepped out of the portal, followed by a troop of Beowolfs and Beringels. Immediately, the Grimm charged at Weiss. She laid down a barrier of fire but they kept coming. They pushed her back as she slashed and stabbed, separating her from Jaune.

Jaune raised his sword and charged at Salem. But she was too fast. She grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off his feet. She knocked his sword away.

"You have courage, little man, and a strong Aura," she said. "Not that it will save you." She sent a current of dark energy into him. He stifled a cry of pain. The energy continued to burn through his flesh.

Weiss was hacking through the Grimm, but there were many of them.

Salem raised her other hand, aiming to fire at Weiss.

Jaune struggled against her grip but Salem was strong.

Then he saw his sword, several metres away, on the ground.

And, with a sudden flash of realisation, he understood his Semblance.

He reached out. The sword flew into his hand.

 _Only one chance_ , he said to himself.

He slashed at Salem's arm, a moment before she fired at Weiss. The hand was severed at the wrist. There was a gush of dark blood.

Salem gave a scream of pain. She shot another blast of energy into Jaune. Then she threw him aside.

Through the pack of Grimm she looked at Weiss. Weiss stared straight back.

"Your turn will come, pretty pretty," said Salem. Then, cradling her bleeding arm, she conjured a portal, and went through it. The surviving Grimm followed.

Weiss ran to Jaune. It was clear that he had only moments left. She took his hand.

"Jaune," she said. "You … you could have saved yourself. But you didn't … "

"Couldn't let you get zapped on our anniversary, could I?" he rasped. He looked into her eyes. "Thank you, Weiss. For every moment."

Weiss, unable to speak, nodded.

His eyes closed.

Jaune Arc was dead.

END (to be continued – next story: _Allies Where You Find Them_ )


End file.
